Pick Me by Victoria Schade (Nov 18, 2025) Huge thanks to @avonbooks and @harperaudio for the gifted print and audio copies!
Brooke Murphy has an epic case of writer’s block. The only problem is that her next cowboy romance in the series she ghostwrites is due in just months. When her roommate insists Brooke leave the house and join her to do something fun, she forces Brooke to go with her to an indoor pickleball club. There she fixates on finance bro Kai, the most handsome man she has ever seen, and she decides he will be her muse to fuel her in finishing the novel – and she needs to learn pickleball to gain his attention. Owen, Kai’s instructor agrees to take her on. Owen’s approach to coaching ends up helping Brooke understand so much about her torn between her initial attraction to Kai and being drawn to enigmatic Owen with his unique fashion choices and renaissance man mentality.
Ummm….this book is both so fun and so tender. Brooke’s arc of growth and realization is equal parts zany, real, and heart-felt. Owen is every green flag and has such a fun backstory that is revealed in pieces over the course of the book. The secondary characters – Brooke’s family, her friends, the pickleball community as so warmly constructed that I felt genuine affection for all of them. And this slow-burn love story is deeply rooted in what it means to truly see someone, know someone, and allow yourself to be seen. You will be rooting for them, both in pickleball and in love. It is fun, funny, charming, and filled with love – in romance, in friendship, in family.
🎧 Audiobook Thoughts: (9h 48m) Narrated by the incomparable Patti Murrin, the audio really shines. @Pattimurrin is a narrator that will be the reason I select an audiobook but I didn’t realize she was narrating this one until I started it, so it was a special treat. She really brought Brooke and Owen to life.
Book: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🎧 Audio performance: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥 Spice: 🌶️🌶️
Book Smart Kate 